Tax issues for US citizens

[Chootie 0]

This is a good subject. One which I will soon need to address for myself.

I was married July 2007. My husband is in his home country now and will be until ????

I am not sure how to file. Either way why would my husband's non-US income need to be considered?

Married filing jointly seems to indicate that there is money to pay taxes on. Married filing seperately would imply that he will file his own tax return. How can we really file as either if our spouses don't have SS#? I guess I'll have to call the IRS as one member suggests.

[Nutty 2]

W-7 Form allows alien spouses who are not residing inside the US and are not eligible for a social security card to get an ITIN# for tax purposes only. If a US immigrant visa has not been issued yet, then your husband/wife is eligible for an ITIN number. Even though they have applied and are waiting for a visa.

If you contact the NON-RESIDENT ALIEN SECTION of the IRS, the representative will ask you a series of questions to determine their eligibility.

You have to be specific and answer "yes" or "no."

Once you find if your husband/wife can have an ITIN # you then:

1) Have your husband/wife fill out the W-7 form, provide supporting documents to verify identity.

2) Have your spouse provide income details from their country

* I am not sure if this is aftertax deductions or gross - this point I am not clear on.

3) Prepare a joint return, but leave the SSN portion of your spouse blank

4) Attach the completed W-7 and supporting identity documents AND their tax info to the completed 1040 with your W-2's and/or 1099's.

5) Mail the completed 1040, W-7 with supporting documents to a specific address in Austin, TX.

Edited February 7, 2008 by Nutty

[akatagirl 0]

I married In february 2006 and filed married jointly for the 2006 even though my hubby was not here yet. My tax person had me get a signed letter from his employer stating his income for that year. The letter simply stated how much he made a month and that no taxes were taken out. We then submitted that with the itin application and taxes for that year. about 2months later he rec'd his itin number.

[Texanadian 10]

On $3,600 of income, it might still be cheaper to pay the tax on it in the US and file married-joint.

Try out the calculator. http://www.dinkytown.net/java/Tax1040.html